With the 2014 season now complete, hawthornfc.com.au will review the season of those who played a senior game for the Hawks in 2014 with the help of GM - Football Operations, Chris Fagan.

He’s a quiet achiever who sneaks under the radar given he plays alongside the likes of Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis and Burgoyne but Liam Shiels has been crucial in Hawthorn’s back-to-back premierships.

After an injury-interrupted but nonetheless impressive 2013, the Hawks midfielder had another outstanding season in 2014, playing 21 of a possible 25 games.

Aside from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the side between rounds 5 and 8, Shiels was a staple in Alastair Clarkson’s midfielder playing a dual role – as a ball-winning midfielder and at times a tagger.

He ended the year as Hawthorn’s top inside 50 player with an average of 4.3 per game and illustrating his attacking and defensive weapons, also the Club’s top tackler with an average of 6.1 per game.

He was also ranked fourth for average clearances (3.7), fifth for centre clearances (1.1), disposals (22.7) and contested possessions (8.4).

Shiels started the season in career-best form, ranked fourth at the Hawks for disposals, averaging 22.5 disposals and a goal a game in the opening four rounds before injury struck.

An uncompromising midfielder who is the embodiment of the team-first attitude, Shiels played one of his best ever games against the Suns in Round 4 when he suffered the injury.

He had 26 disposals, laid four tackles, kicked a goal and set up another before suffering the injury and manfully playing on despite missing the next four matches.

Hawthorn has built a reputation over the last couple of seasons as being a selfless team that is willing to do the hard things, to take the hits for the betterment of the team.

That mantra was personified by Shiels in the second quarter of that game.

In pursuit of a loose ball with Suns midfielder Jarrod Harbrow charging towards him, Shiels didn’t flinch, he charged straight at the ball, tapped it to teammate Matthew Suckling and got cleaned up by Harbrow in the process.

Suckling kicked a great snap goal as Shiels lay flat on the turf, hurting and left the field to receive treatment on his shoulder in the rooms.

He returned to play a key part in the victory but that moment was everything that Hawthorn stand for.

Shiels picked up from where he left off upon his return in Round 10, with 23 disposals and a massive nine tackles in a great display of leadership in an undermmaned Hawthorn team that fell to the Power at Adelaide Oval.

The midfielder would end up playing every game from Round 10 onwards, including the finals where he became a dual Hawthorn premiership player.

In fact, Shiels was enormous during the finals series both as a free-wheeling midfielder and a stopper with a role on the opposition’s gun midfielders.

He averaged 22.3 disposals (10.0 contested), 7.6 tackles, and 4.6 clearances during the finals, producing some of his best footy when it counted most.

Shiels was key to the premiership win, picking up 22 disposals and laying five tackles in the Grand Final win over the Swans.

Other season highlights included 24 disposals, eight tackles and five clearances in the Round 12 win over the Eagles, 25 disposals, 10 tackles and five clearances against the Suns in Round 15, 28 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances against the Bulldogs in Round 19 and 23 disposals and seven tackles against the Pies in Round 23.

He was the player who benefited most from the emergence of fellow midfielder Will Langford, given he was freed up to play a more attacking midfield role while taking on defensive tasks when required.

Having now played 102 senior games, the 23 year old is beginning to enter his prime and given what he’s already produced, we can’t wait to see what lies ahead.
 

What GM – Football Operations Chris Fagan said: “He took his game to another level this year – I’m not sure what his stats say but we feel his impact on games this year was more significant than in previous seasons.

“Shielsy can sneak under the guard a bit and get 25-30 touches, he wins his clearances, tackles well and has good leadership abilities. He is very well respected by our senior leadership group and they see him as someone who can rise in this area in the next couple of years.”

 

Liam Shiels in the news in 2014
- Langford emergence frees up Shiels
- Break won’t stop Shiels
- Injury news: Shiels to miss a month

Videos featuring Liam Shiels in 2014
- Shiels speaks after the premiership
- Shiels meets the stars of the Inbetweeners
- One-on-one with the Inbetweeners